BETA


2009/2530(RSP) Resolution on the implementation of the Single Euro Payments Area SEPA

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 136-p5

Events

2009/10/06
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
2009/03/12
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
2009/03/12
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

Following the debate which took place during the sitting of 9 March 2009, the European Parliament adopted by 520 votes to 57 with 12 abstentions, a resolution tabled by the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs on the implementation of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). It notes that migration to SEPA has been sluggish: by 1 October 2008, only 1.7 % of total transactions had been made by way of the SEPA Credit Transfer format.

Parliament emphasises its continued support for the creation of SEPA , which is subject to effective competition and in which there is no distinction between cross-border and national payments in euro. It recalls that migration to SEPA officially started on 28 January 2008 with the launch of the SEPA payment instrument for credit transfer, while the SEPA Cards Framework has been in force since 1 January 2008, and the SEPA Direct Debit scheme is scheduled to start on 1 November 2009. However, no legally binding end-date for migration to SEPA instruments has been set, although all parties involved now agree that setting such an end-date is imperative for SEPA to be successful. Members call on the Commission to set a clear, appropriate and binding end-date , which should be no later than 31 December 2012, for migrating to SEPA instruments, after which all payments in euro must be made using the SEPA standards.

Parliament also recalls that on 4 September 2008, the Commission and the European Central Bank indicated to the EPC that they would be prepared to support the idea of a multilateral interchange fee (MIF) for cross-border direct debits within the framework of SEPA on condition that such fees were objectively justified and applicable only for a limited period. It calls on the Commission to provide for legal clarity as regards the application of a MIF for cross-border direct debits, in particular the definition of a transitional period at the end of which it should be possible for MIFs to be maintained provided that they respect Commission guidelines.

It also calls on the Commission to:

clarify further the issue of MIF for card payments; ensure that the migration to SEPA instruments will not result in a more expensive payment system for citizens of the Union.

Members also want increased efforts to find appropriate solutions in the Member States to ensure the continued legal validity of existing direct debit mandates in the SEPA Direct Debit scheme.

Lastly, they call on Member States to encourage their public administrations to use SEPA instruments as soon as possible and to give them a catalytic role in the migration process

Documents
2009/03/12
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2009/03/11
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
2009/03/11
   EP - Debate in Parliament
2009/03/09
   EP - Oral question/interpellation by Parliament
Documents
2009/02/10
   CSL - Resolution/conclusions adopted by Council
Details

The Council adopted conclusions on the single Euro payments area (SEPA). Whilst reiterating its support for the initiative, the Council noted the current slow uptake of SEPA products, which seems to focus mainly on cross-border payments. It considered that the launch of the SEPA direct debit scheme scheduled for 1 November 2009 will provide new impetus for SEPA migration. Whilst underlining the need for clarity on long‑term pricing issues, the Council invited the industry to accelerate the necessary preparatory work for its successful launch.

The Council recognises that the current financial crisis and economic slow-down provides opportunities for major efficiency gains and cost savings, thus requiring reinforced commitment to the project from all parties. It invites the Commission and the ECB and the Eurosystem to continue their role in identifying the necessary actions for its successful realisation.

2009/02/10
   CSL - Council Meeting

Documents

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

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events/3
date
2009-03-12T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-6-2009-0139_EN.html title: T6-0139/2009
summary
events/3
date
2009-03-12T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-6-2009-0139_EN.html title: T6-0139/2009
summary
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 136-p5
procedure/legal_basis/0
Rules of Procedure EP 128-p5
docs/0/docs/0/url
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docs/1/docs/0/url
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http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-6-2009-0139_EN.html
activities
  • body: CSL meeting_id: 2922 council: Economic and Financial Affairs ECOFIN date: 2009-02-10T00:00:00 type: Council Meeting
  • date: 2009-03-11T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20090311&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2009-03-12T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=16884&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2009-139 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T6-0139/2009 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
committees
    council
    • body: CSL type: Council Meeting council: Economic and Financial Affairs ECOFIN meeting_id: 2922 url: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/content/out?lang=EN&typ=SET&i=SMPL&ROWSPP=25&RESULTSET=1&NRROWS=500&DOC_LANCD=EN&ORDERBY=DOC_DATE+DESC&CONTENTS=2922*&MEET_DATE=10/02/2009 date: 2009-02-10T00:00:00
    docs
    • date: 2009-03-09T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B6-2009-13&language=EN title: B6-0013/2009 type: Oral question/interpellation by Parliament body: EP
    • date: 2009-03-11T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B6-2009-111&language=EN title: B6-0111/2009 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2009-10-06T00:00:00 docs: url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=16884&j=0&l=en title: SP(2009)3244/3 type: Commission response to text adopted in plenary
    events
    • date: 2009-02-10T00:00:00 type: Resolution/conclusions adopted by Council body: CSL summary: The Council adopted conclusions on the single Euro payments area (SEPA). Whilst reiterating its support for the initiative, the Council noted the current slow uptake of SEPA products, which seems to focus mainly on cross-border payments. It considered that the launch of the SEPA direct debit scheme scheduled for 1 November 2009 will provide new impetus for SEPA migration. Whilst underlining the need for clarity on long‑term pricing issues, the Council invited the industry to accelerate the necessary preparatory work for its successful launch. The Council recognises that the current financial crisis and economic slow-down provides opportunities for major efficiency gains and cost savings, thus requiring reinforced commitment to the project from all parties. It invites the Commission and the ECB and the Eurosystem to continue their role in identifying the necessary actions for its successful realisation.
    • date: 2009-03-11T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20090311&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
    • date: 2009-03-12T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=16884&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
    • date: 2009-03-12T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2009-139 title: T6-0139/2009 summary: Following the debate which took place during the sitting of 9 March 2009, the European Parliament adopted by 520 votes to 57 with 12 abstentions, a resolution tabled by the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs on the implementation of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA). It notes that migration to SEPA has been sluggish: by 1 October 2008, only 1.7 % of total transactions had been made by way of the SEPA Credit Transfer format. Parliament emphasises its continued support for the creation of SEPA , which is subject to effective competition and in which there is no distinction between cross-border and national payments in euro. It recalls that migration to SEPA officially started on 28 January 2008 with the launch of the SEPA payment instrument for credit transfer, while the SEPA Cards Framework has been in force since 1 January 2008, and the SEPA Direct Debit scheme is scheduled to start on 1 November 2009. However, no legally binding end-date for migration to SEPA instruments has been set, although all parties involved now agree that setting such an end-date is imperative for SEPA to be successful. Members call on the Commission to set a clear, appropriate and binding end-date , which should be no later than 31 December 2012, for migrating to SEPA instruments, after which all payments in euro must be made using the SEPA standards. Parliament also recalls that on 4 September 2008, the Commission and the European Central Bank indicated to the EPC that they would be prepared to support the idea of a multilateral interchange fee (MIF) for cross-border direct debits within the framework of SEPA on condition that such fees were objectively justified and applicable only for a limited period. It calls on the Commission to provide for legal clarity as regards the application of a MIF for cross-border direct debits, in particular the definition of a transitional period at the end of which it should be possible for MIFs to be maintained provided that they respect Commission guidelines. It also calls on the Commission to: clarify further the issue of MIF for card payments; ensure that the migration to SEPA instruments will not result in a more expensive payment system for citizens of the Union. Members also want increased efforts to find appropriate solutions in the Member States to ensure the continued legal validity of existing direct debit mandates in the SEPA Direct Debit scheme. Lastly, they call on Member States to encourage their public administrations to use SEPA instruments as soon as possible and to give them a catalytic role in the migration process
    • date: 2009-03-12T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
    links
    other
      procedure/legal_basis/0
      Rules of Procedure EP 128-p5
      procedure/legal_basis/0
      Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 128-p5
      procedure/subject
      Old
      • 2.50.04.02 Electronic money and payments, cross-border credit transfers
      • 5.20.02 Single currency, euro, euro area
      New
      2.50.04.02
      Electronic money and payments, cross-border credit transfers
      5.20.02
      Single currency, euro, euro area
      procedure/subtype
      Old
      Debate or resolution on oral questions
      New
      Debate or resolution on oral question/interpellation
      activities
      • body: CSL meeting_id: 2922 council: Economic and Financial Affairs ECOFIN date: 2009-02-10T00:00:00 type: Council Meeting
      • date: 2009-03-11T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20090311&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
      • date: 2009-03-12T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=16884&l=en type: Results of vote in Parliament title: Results of vote in Parliament url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P6-TA-2009-139 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T6-0139/2009 body: EP type: Results of vote in Parliament
      committees
        links
        other
          procedure
          reference
          2009/2530(RSP)
          title
          Resolution on the implementation of the Single Euro Payments Area SEPA
          legal_basis
          Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 128-p5
          stage_reached
          Procedure completed
          subtype
          Debate or resolution on oral questions
          type
          RSP - Resolutions on topical subjects
          subject